Assessing Sustainability and Its Performance Implications: An Empirical Analysis in Spanish Public Universities

Blasco, Natividad; Brusca, Isabel; Labrador, Margarita

doi:10.3390/su11195302

Cited by 24 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 36 publications

(58 reference statements)

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“…Also, the environmental pillar is the more addressed, neglecting the social and economic pillars. These results are in accordance with [74], who also found in a study conducted in Spanish Universities that more attention is given to the environmental pillar and that is still necessary to achieve an integrated perspective of sustainability in universities. Those results justify the maximum ranking of only 36% of the tools in the criterion of coverage of sustainability implementation dimension and the same percentage in the criterion of measuring the progress of sustainability implementation in HEIs (see Table 3).…”

Section: Tools Assessmentsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…GM tool was also overall well classified, besides worst classification in terms of Participation and Progress Over Time criteria but has been also widely used since is free, easy to fill and good as a benchmark between universities worldwide, as stressed by many other authors (e.g., [16,49,74]). As Lauder et al [49] stressed under scientific analysis, no ranking can be free from at least some limitations, resulting in unavoidable practical considerations, such as the need for the ranking to be at a level of complexity that can appeal to a wide audience.…”

Section: Tools Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 95%

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Sustainability Assessment and Benchmarking in Higher Education Institutions—A Critical Reflection

et al. 2020

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Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) play a crucial role in implementing practices for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). This implementation should be done in different dimensions according to a holistic and whole-school approach. Different tools have been adapted and developed to assess this integrated approach. The aim of this research is to critically reflect the existing tools to assess and benchmark ESD implementation and to discuss their applicability in two case studies. Two public Universities in Southern Europe, with headquarters in the capitals of Portugal and Spain were selected to assess and compare the integration of ESD according to a whole-school approach-Universidade Aberta in Portugal and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in Spain. After a critical analysis of the existing tools based on literature review and a list of criteria classified by experts, two tools were selected to be applied in the case studies. The online Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System Reporting Tool was used in Universidade Aberta and Green Metrics tool was used in Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. The tools were complemented with focus group with key-actors in both universities. The results obtained allowed to identify the need to define a common objective of the assessment tools and limitations they still have. The tools need improvements on their development namely to integrate the external impact of Higher Education Institutions on sustainability, to integrate participatory processes and to assess non-traditional aspects of sustainability. This research hopes to contribute to the continuous research about the usefulness of these assessment and benchmarking tools as drivers to HEIs improve their sustainability performance and their role as agents of changes.

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Section: Tools Assessmentsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Tools Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 95%

Sustainability Assessment and Benchmarking in Higher Education Institutions—A Critical Reflection

et al. 2020

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“…Earlier research analysing plans and reports from 2005 and 2014 showed that Portuguese universities' autonomy and social responsibility led them to develop several timely initiatives and policies towards ESD (a bottom-up approach) and examples of practices for sustainability implementation were found (Farinha et al, 2019). Blasco et al (2019), in a study that was carried out in 40 per cent of public universities in Spain between 2014 and 2016, concluded that including sustainability practices in strategic planning can enhance academic and research performance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Universities speak up regarding the implementation of sustainable development challenges

Farinha

Caeiro

Azeiteiro

2020

IJSHE

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Purpose This study aims to expand knowledge and provide further insights on how education for sustainable development (ESD) has been integrated into programmes at higher education institutions (HEIs) in Portugal. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was given to key actors in charge of sustainability implementation at each Portuguese public university. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with 13 of the survey respondents and the data were analysed. Findings Results showed that Portuguese public universities have their own strategies and policies on ESD, leading them to introduce initiatives arising from their proactiveness rather than governmental edicts. Some universities implemented ESD planning and beneficial “green” practices such as waste separation and recycling and ways to reduce energy consumption that can be a result of the improvement after the United Nations Decade 2005-2014. However, these actions seem to have been taken in isolation and not holistically integrated. Universities face many barriers including lack of funding, not properly trained people and inept government policies. They also must overcome challenges in implementing ESD. Research limitations/implications This research into the implementation of ESD has a national scope; the findings should be interpreted only in a Portuguese university context despite the high number of interviewees. Practical implications The study has increased knowledge, provided further insights on how ESD has been integrated at HEIs and provided examples of integrated practices at Portuguese universities. A Sustainability4U platform was proposed for enhancing awareness of the need for increasing sustainable development. Originality/value This study contributes to defining a country’s profile and how to implement sustainability in HEIs. The importance of obtaining information from key actors in sustainability at Portuguese public universities was highlighted.

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“…The national cases, e.g. Spanish [12] are particularly informative from the point of view of adaptation for Ukrainian universities. In [13] authors develop a process framework for including education for sustainable development into quality management systems in higher education.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of the university in achieving SDGs 4 and 7: a Ukrainian case

et al. 2021

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This article deals with the development of the university activities model to ensure the quality of education and technology transfer (SDG 4) and to create a successful background in achieving SDG 7. We conduct an analysis of the literature on the achievement of SDGs through governmental instruments of influence, as well as the creation of effective university model ensuring the education quality and technology transfer. In addition, we demonstrate the role of the government in financing higher education in Ukraine. We also present the evaluation of the popularity of educational programs related to energy efficiency and a “clean” environment in Ukrainian universities after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The indicators of the use of various energy types by Ukraine are assessed, and a comparative analysis of these indicators with the data for EU-28 is performed. Based on the data presented, conclusions are drawn about the need to improve the quality of university training and to activate the university technology transfer. Successful practical approaches that can be of use for different higher education institutions are outlined. A combined model of quality assurance and technology transfer at the university is presented. An algorithm for testing the model and assessing the technological level of readiness for implementation is developed. The presented chain “combined model – model testing algorithm – determination of the technological level of readiness” is also assessed from the point of view of socio-economic impact on the main stakeholders. The use of the combined model lays background for the university’s own sustainable development as a tool for achieving SDGs.

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Assessing Sustainability and Its Performance Implications: An Empirical Analysis in Spanish Public Universities

Cited by 24 publications

References 36 publications

Sustainability Assessment and Benchmarking in Higher Education Institutions—A Critical Reflection

Sustainability Assessment and Benchmarking in Higher Education Institutions—A Critical Reflection

Universities speak up regarding the implementation of sustainable development challenges

The role of the university in achieving SDGs 4 and 7: a Ukrainian case

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